Teenage Dream
by E. Limberg
Summary: Castle convinces Beckett to spend her day off with him.  They have a lot to talk about on their "date."  Can it lead to their relationship becoming something more?  Song is Katy Perry's.
1. Not a Date

**Teenage Dream**

**Chapter 1: Not a Date**

_You think I'm pretty_

_Without any makeup on_

_You think I'm funny_

_When I tell the punch line wrong_

_I know you get me_

_So I let my walls come down_

Beckett walks out of the interrogation room, frustrated with herself and the case in general. With a sigh, she tosses the file on her desk.

Castle slowly approaches her, "You've got proof, Beckett. They'll convict him."

"I don't know, Castle. Most of it is theory. Sure, we have his fingerprints on the murder weapon, and he doesn't have an alibi, but we don't really know why. It's just… speculation that you and I came up with."

"Kate," he says gently, reaching out to touch her arm. He knows this case had been difficult for her, and he wants to comfort her, but before he can do anything, Ryan and Esposito walk over.

"He's not talking?" Esposito guesses from her expression.

"He's lawyered up and denies killing her."

"What can we do?" Ryan asks.

She checks her watch, "It's up to the DA now. Go on home; I'll take care of the paperwork."

"You sure there's nothing we can do?"

"Yeah, I've got it. If the DA wants more, we'll just go over everything again I guess."

"You're off tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Go enjoy your evening. I'll see you Friday."

"Bye, Beckett," the detectives say before heading out.

Castle remains next to her, "So you're off tomorrow?"

"Yes," she repeats, sitting down and opening the file that she had tossed onto her desk moments ago.

"So what are you going to do tomorrow?"

"I… don't know. Relax. Run errands."

"So I won't see you tomorrow?"

She looks up from her paperwork, "No. Castle, this case was hard enough as it is. Go home so I can get this paperwork done in peace."

"No. When were you going to tell me that you had the day off?"

"Before you left. If you won't go, at least shut up."

"Do you want to do something together tomorrow?" he asks, ignoring her.

"Why?"

He tries not to feel offended at her sharp tone. "Because… I… like spending time with you."

"Are you avoiding your work again?"

"You are my work, Beckett." The detective glares, and he changes his answer. "No. In fact, I'm almost done with the next book. I have to figure out how to end it."

"With Nikki and Rook getting the bad guy."

"Yes, well, she's angry with him again so… they have to make up too."

"Or he could just quit following her."

"Are you trying to hint at something, Beckett?" he smirks.

"Maybe," she doesn't look at him.

"I really don't think you want me to do that, Detective. You like me too much."

"If like means tolerating your childish ways, then yes, I do like you."

"Please, Beckett? It'll take your mind off this case. And you won't be missing work. And you'll get to spend time with me."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Because we're friends."

"Castle…" she begins, about to deny that they were friends, but then realizes that that is exactly what they were. And it is probably all that they will ever be because they are both too afraid to ruin their relationship by seeking more.

"Kate."

"What exactly did you have in mind?" she sighs, starting to give in to him.

"Maybe a movie, lunch or dinner… a walk through the park. Whatever you want to do."

"This sounds suspiciously like a date," Kate eyes him.

"It's not. Just two friends spending time together. Unless you want it to be a date…"

"No," she answers a little too quickly.

He smiles, "Sure?"

"Yes. Friends, Castle. That's it."

"I can do friends."

"You're paying."

"I wouldn't expect anything other than that."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow. Don't make me regret it, Castle."

"You won't," Rick grins at her.

She tries to return to her paperwork, but his staring is very annoying. "Please, Castle, stop staring, or I'll change my mind."

"Sorry," he quickly says, looking away from her. "Do you… have a piece of paper I can use?"

She opens her desk drawer and gets a sheet out for him. He grabs a pen from her stash and quickly begins to write on it. "You know you don't have to stay, Castle. If you have writing to do, I can finish this up without you."

"No, I want to keep you company. And sometimes I prefer the old fashioned way of doing things," he says, not once looking up from his sheet.

"Did you figure out how to solve your problem with Nikki and Rook?"

"Yep."

When he doesn't elaborate, she goes back to her own paperwork. It takes her about half an hour to finish it up, and Castle is still busy writing when she is done. She looks toward the murder board and decides it is time to clean it off for the next case. Leaving him at her desk, she begins to take down the pictures of the victim and crime scene. After all the evidence is boxed up, she erases the marker, the clean white board now ready to bring justice to the next victim.

"I'm going to take this down to be put away in storage," she tells him. He doesn't respond, too engrossed in his work, so she just leaves.

Ten minutes later she walks back into the bullpen. "Where'd you go?" Rick looks at her curiously, glancing down at the completely filled paper in front of him.

"To put the evidence away."

"Oh… You leaving now?"

Avoiding his question, she asks one of her own. "Since I agreed to spend my day off with you, can I see what you wrote?"

"No," he quickly grabs the paper and shoves it in his pocket.

"Castle."

"Beckett."

"The book is about me. I deserve to know what you're writing."

"You don't need to know right now."

"Why not?" He just looks at her. "Were you writing another sex scene, Castle?"

"…Maybe." At her glare, he tries to defend himself. "Come on, Beckett. I've already written like four scenes where they sleep together."

"And each time they humiliate me more."

"Who teases you?" he asks, concerned.

"Everyone in the precinct."

"What's so bad about them? It's not like I'm writing them from experience with you."

"They think otherwise."

"Kate… I'm sorry," he whispers, the first time he had ever apologized for what he had written.

"It's okay, Castle."

"No. They shouldn't judge you. You didn't want this; I forced you into this situation."

"Look, Castle… I do like you. And I've gotten used to you as my partner… and my friend. And I don't want things between us to change. So I put up with it. It's really not a big deal."

He studies her for a long moment, "Let me know if it happens again."

"What are you going to do? Beat up a bunch of cops?" she smirks.

"Okay, so I really can't do anything. But you can."

"It's not worth it," she says, then decides to change the subject. "So what time are we meeting tomorrow?"

"I'll pick you up at noon."

Together they step on the elevator and leave the precinct for the evening.

**A/N: So... Countdown was pretty good. If only one of them had said something during the four times they tried... And I totally thought she would be leaving Josh. Guess I was wrong. Anyway, I think I wrote this one around Thanksgiving so there's probably a lot that's changed since then, but I figured it didn't really matter since it wasn't focused around an episode specifically. I think I meant it to take place sometime late in season three, but I don't really remember. Hope you enjoyed it. Next up: he picks her up for their nondate. Possibly posted tomorrow if I get enough interest by then; if not, probably not until Friday or Saturday. Thanks.**


	2. Banter and Questions

**Chapter 2: Banter and Questions**

_Before you met me_

_I was alright but things_

_Were kind of heavy_

_You brought me to life_

_Now every February_

_You'll be my Valentine, Valentine_

Castle knocks on her door and waits for her to answer. She doesn't. He knocks again, and he begins to wonder if she is avoiding him because she changed her mind about this. "Beckett," he calls, hoping to get some sort of response from her even if she had changed her mind so that he at least knew she was okay.

"Hey, Castle."

He abruptly turns and finds her walking down the hall, grocery bags in hand. "Oh… you were shopping."

"Yeah, I needed food. It took a little longer than I thought it would."

"It's fine," he says, taking some of the bags from her so she could get her keys out.

"Just let me put this stuff away and then we can go."

Castle follows her into the kitchen, emptying the bags he had carried onto the counter for her. When he finishes, he watches her move around the kitchen.

"What?" she asks upon noticing that he is staring at her.

"Your hair…"

"I don't normally straighten it unless I'm going in to work. I guess I forgot that you haven't seen it like this."

"Except when you dragged me to that strip club," he smiles at the memory. "You know every other woman there would have enjoyed all the strippers surrounding her."

"Yes, well I was trying to work. And I prefer one-on-one."

"Then you're in luck today," he smirks as she puts the last of the groceries away. She doesn't comment. "For the record, I like your hair like that."

Kate blushes, "So what are we doing today?"

"I was thinking we'd get lunch first, then go to the movies."

"Where are we going?"

"What are you hungry for?"

She shrugs, "Doesn't matter to me."

"Well, Alexis and I always go to this awesome pizza place. We could go there."

"Whatever you want."

"Hey, I'm the one taking you out. You should be the one choosing."

"It really doesn't matter to me."

He looks at her for a long moment, "You mean you're not such a control freak outside of work?"

"I'm not a control freak."

"Yes, you are."

"No. If I was, you would have been gone a long time ago, Castle."

"I knew it. You _do_ like me."

"More like tolerate," she grins.

"It's okay. I like you too, Kate."

She shakes her head at him, "Can we get going?"

"We could, but you never decided."

"We'll just go to your pizza place."

"Okay," he holds his arm out to her.

She ignores it, going to grab her keys from the counter, "Coming, Castle?"

He puts his hand on hers when she reaches for her car keys, "You're not driving today, Kate."

"You really want to walk all over the city?"

"No, I'm driving."

"You know how to drive?"

"Of course I do."

"Somehow I can't imagine you being a very good driver. Am I still going to be alive at the end of the day if you drive?"

"Yes. Alexis is still alive. I've never been in an accident, Detective."

She sighs, "Fine."

They stare at each other for a moment, neither moving. "I think I'd feel better if you didn't bring that with you," Castle says, poking her in the side where her gun is.

"I have to, Castle. What if something happens and I need it?"

"What is going to happen?"

She shrugs, "You never know in this city."

"Fine. But you can't use it on me."

Beckett glares at him, "Castle, what are you going to do?"

"Nothing," he says, trying to make his face innocent.

"You must be planning something, or you wouldn't be worried about me shooting you."

He shifts the topic away from him, "Do you always bring your gun with you on dates?"

"Yes. I thought this wasn't a date."

"Where do you put it? 'Cause you can't really hide it under your dress. And what would your boyfriend think if he found it while you were… in bed together?" The glare continues. "You know what? Forget I said anything. Just… bring your gun with you, and let's go."

Slowly her scowl turns into a smile, "That, Mr. Castle, is something you will never have to worry about. First, because I will never go on a date with you. And second, you will never be taking my clothes off."

"Believe what you want to, Kate."

"Castle…"

"I think we need to talk about that." She raises an eyebrow in question. "You should start calling me Rick."

"You're always going to be Castle."

"Fine. But I'm still calling you Kate."

"Go ahead. See what happens."

He tries not to back away from her, afraid of what she could do to him. "Can we go now?"

"Yes."

"Okay," he offers her his arm again.

This time she stares at it for a moment before walking on her own to the door. "Coming, Castle?"

He follows her out the door and into the elevator. "So how was your morning?" he asks, deciding this was a safe topic.

"Okay."

When she doesn't elaborate, he asks another question. "What did you do?"

She glances at him, "Went for a jog, looked at the paper, showered, and went to get groceries. You?"

"Made Alexis breakfast before she went to school, typed up what I wrote last night, then came over to get you."

"How are she and Ashley doing?" she asks as they approach what she assumes is his car.

"Good. She's still crazy about him."

"And you're holding up okay?"

"I'm fine. I mean, he seems like a decent guy so… I'm okay with it. For now."

"And your mother?" she slides into the passenger seat.

"She's got another boyfriend. See, Detective, you really need to sit in the passenger seat in your car and feel what I have to go through. This is so much better," he smirks, starting the car.

"I'll take your word for it."

"I'd be more than willing to buy you a new car if you wanted. And Ryan and Esposito too. You could consider it a thank you gift for letting me follow you around."

She looks over at him, now worried. "Are you planning on not following us around anymore?"

"No," he quickly assures her, catching the worried expression on her face that she had tried to hide. "I'll be around until the fans are sick of Nikki. Or until you're sick of me."

**A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner. I was gone for a few days and then I was trying to get caught up with stuff. And now I have to do laundry and pack to go back to school tomorrow. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I think there are like eleven more. I don't really remember. I might try to update tomorrow before I go back. Thanks.**


	3. High School

**Chapter 3: High School**

_Let's go all the way tonight_

_No regrets, just love_

_We can dance, until we die_

_You and I will be young forever_

"I was beginning to think you had found another pizza parlor, Rick. You and Alexis haven't been in here in weeks," a man comes out from the back of the restaurant to greet them as they sit down at a booth.

"Lately she's preferred to spend more time with her boyfriend than with me."

"Ah," he smiles. "So you brought someone else with you this time."

"This is Detective Kate Beckett," he introduces her. "Kate, this is Tom, an old friend from high school."

"Pleasure to meet you. I take it you're the real life version of Nikki Heat?"

"Yes," she shakes his hand. "So Castle actually had friends in high school?"

Tom laughs while Castle looks wounded, "Yes, he was actually quite popular. For someone who wasn't a jock. They all enjoyed his articles in the school paper and his stories that were published in the school literary journal."

"So you were a journalist at one time?" she looks at him questioningly.

"Yes. It wasn't as fun as creating my own stories, but it was a way to get involved in writing at school."

"So Rook…?"

"Yep."

"So what can I get for you?" Tom asks. "The usual?"

Castle looks toward her, "What do you want?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Yeah, bring us the usual."

"And to drink?"

"I'll have a coke," she says.

"Two cokes."

"Alright. I'll have that out for you soon," Tom heads back to get started on their meal.

"So…"

"You heard about me in high school. I think it's only fair you share something too."

"I don't think so, Castle. If you didn't want me to know, you shouldn't have brought me here," she counters.

"Please? Were you a cheerleader?"

"No. You already knew that."

"Basketball? Softball?" She shakes her head. "Cross country or track? You seem to enjoy running."

"No. Actually I rather hated running in gym class in school."

"I know: you were a band geek," he smiles.

"Nope. They let us try out instruments in fifth grade to see if we wanted to be in the band. I couldn't play any of them."

"That's why you join – so you can learn how."

"Either way it's still wrong."

"Okay… I can't really see you being that great at art. So I'm going to guess theater?"

"That would be Nikki Heat."

"Right… so I take it that isn't correct?"

"Nope."

"Then what did you do?" She doesn't answer him. Tom comes out with their drinks and breadsticks. "Were you one of those nerds that didn't get involved?"

"I was not a nerd, Castle."

"What was your class rank?"

"Second," Kate says quietly.

"You are definitely a nerd," he smiles. "That's okay. I was a nerd too. At least in English."

"I believe you have to be good at every subject to be called a nerd, Castle."

"So… you graduated second in your class and you became a detective?"

"Yes. And you know why that is."

"What were you planning on doing before she was killed?" he asks, taking a second breadstick from the basket.

"I was going to become a doctor."

"That still involves saving lives."

"She couldn't have been saved. And doctors don't catch the guys who did it."

"Why weren't you first?"

"He took one more class than I did."

"You knew him?"

"We dated. He was one of the more acceptable guys that I went out with in high school."

Castle stares at her for a moment before finally asking his question. "How were you second if you were so…?"

"Wild?" she supplies.

"Your words, not mine," he defends himself.

"It was mainly the clothes. And the guys. I didn't let it affect schoolwork."

"So Alexis isn't completely doomed?"

She shakes her head, "She'll be fine. She's over the bike thing, and Ashley isn't anything like the guys I went out with, at least from what you've told me."

"And your motorcycle?"

"Just something else to get back at them with. I spent three years' worth of waitressing money on it. That really pissed them off. I was supposed to be saving for college."

Tom returns with plates and their pizza, "Enjoy."

"Thanks," Castle smiles at him before turning back to his partner. "Do you… regret it?"

"Yes," Kate says so quietly he's not sure she actually said it. She busies herself with staring at the piece of pizza on her plate instead of looking at him. "If I had known what was going to happen, I wouldn't have made it harder for us. I think he started… drinking because of me; the combination of Mom's death and my behavior was just too much for him. We didn't speak to each other for over six months after that night, and it wasn't until five years after that that I got him to stop."

"You helped him get through it, Kate; that's what matters."

"He never did like that I became a detective."

"He's just worried about you."

"So what about you, Castle?" she looks up to meet his eyes again.

"What do you want to know?"

She shrugs, "What's the worst you ever did?"

"Drinking. And sleeping with a lot of girls. You always think it's the jocks that get the girls, but they really do prefer the writers." She rolls her eyes. "You?"

"Drinking, yes. But probably not as much as you. Sleeping around, definitely not."

"I did not sleep around, Detective. I took them on at least two dates first."

"Oh, so that's what you're after. You think if we go on a couple dates, you can get me in bed."

"No. Besides, we've probably been on a hundred dates, and it hasn't worked yet."

She ignores him and goes back to her pizza. "This is really good, Castle."

"I told you."

"I'm going to let that slide this time."

"And you're going to let it slide when my CIA conspiracy is actually right," he smirks.

"Probably not because in order to be right about it once, you've probably been wrong over about it over a hundred times."

"You wound me," he clutches his chest.

"Good," she smiles, reaching for another slice of pizza.

**A/N: So we just started a new quarter at school and I'm a little busy. But I'm totally going to try to reply to reviews and update on Wednesday. Thanks for reading.**


	4. Relationships

**Chapter 4: Relationships**

_You make me feel_

_Like I'm livin' a_

_Teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on_

_I can't sleep_

_Let's run away and_

_Don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

Rick smiles at her, "This is nice."

"Yes," she agrees, returning his smile.

"Your turn to ask me something."

Beckett thinks for a moment before choosing her question. "Why didn't your marriages work out?"

"Meredith and I got married young, and less than three months after the wedding, she was pregnant. I cared about her, but I don't think I ever loved her. I would've stayed with her for Alexis's sake. But she was cheating on me, and she wanted a divorce. We ended things then before they got worse; I got Alexis because she wasn't a very good mother, and she knew it. She didn't fight it at all because she knew that I could give her what she couldn't.

"I wanted Alexis to grow up with two parents, to have what I didn't. So I found Gina about two years after we split up. Gina tried to care for Alexis, but I… shielded her. They were never really able to connect, and part of that is my fault. I didn't really love her either; I just wanted Alexis to have a normal life. We fought a lot. About Alexis, about deadlines, about my books. Eventually she came to me with divorce papers. She was good at her job, and we were able to keep our professional relationship.

"Alexis and I seemed to get along fine on our own, and eventually Mother moved in so she did have a female influence in her life. After two failed marriages, I said I would never marry again unless I was positive I loved the woman. I guess I just haven't found her yet," he lies, not wanting to tell her that she was it.

"Did you love Kyra?" she asks quietly.

"More than I loved Meredith and Gina. But I still don't know if things would have worked out for us. There were just too many mistakes made for us to find out," he sighs. "You?"

She looks at him for a long moment before finally speaking. "I went out with this guy in college for two years. He was… a lot better than the guys I dated in high school; my parents actually liked him, but they couldn't stand his parents."

"Ah, you knew from experience," he smiles.

She nods, "We broke up the summer before she died. After two years together we kind of lost that spark so I ended it. I liked him a lot, but I'm not sure that I ever loved him. When she died, I didn't date for a while; it was too hard. I became a cop and met Royce. He saw what I was doing to myself, and he saved me. He kept me sane while I searched for her killer."

"So you did… you know?" Castle has to ask and hopes she doesn't rip his head off for it.

Looking out the window, she gives a small nod. "He ended things. He knew what we were doing wasn't good for either of us. And I'm still amazed that I didn't lose myself again after that."

He reaches across the table to place his hand on hers, "You're strong, Kate. You'd get through it."

"You didn't know me back then, Castle. I was a wreck. Things were better with Royce, and when he left, I knew I had to get help. So I went to a psychologist. And once I had straightened myself out, I was able to convince Dad to stop drinking. Eventually I moved up to detective, worked under Montgomery like Ryan and Esposito do with me. Will and I met on a case. We dated for over two years before he asked me to go with him. He said we would get married if I moved with him, but I couldn't leave. You know how that went."

He nods, keeping his hand on hers, "Then Demming?" At her nod, he continues. "Why did you guys split up?"

Kate glances at him quickly as she sighs, not wanting to lie but not wanting to give him the truth either, "He wasn't really what I was looking for."

"I thought he was a great guy?"

"He was… is. But… I just wasn't interested."

"Okay…" he says, deciding not press her for fear of injury. "Then the surgeon?"

"Yep. He was a great guy too. But it's bad enough when you have one person with a crazy work schedule. With both of us working odd hours, we just never saw each other."

"That's what I like about being a writer."

"You follow me around all day, Castle. When do you get any writing done?"

"I guess that's why Gina and I didn't work the second time either. I didn't get any writing done. And she was jealous of all the time I spent with you."

"Jealous of me?" she frowns at him.

"Yeah. You know some women actually enjoy my presence, Detective," he smirks.

"I do enjoy being with you. Just not when you're annoying. Which is about ninety percent of the time."

"Apparently you didn't think I could be too annoying today."

Before she can reply, Tom walks over to their table. "How was everything?"

"Great," Kate smiles.

"Would you like a box for the last couple pieces?"

"Uh… not this time. We're heading to the movies, and I don't really want my car to smell like pizza for the next week, or I'll be hungry every time I get it in."

"Understandable," Tom smiles as he picks up their dishes. "It was nice to meet you, Detective. Please come again."

"Thanks. Nice to meet you too," she stands to put on her jacket as Castle digs out his wallet and lays some money on the table.

"You ready?" he asks. She nods, and before escorting her out the door, he calls out, "Bye, Tom."

They climb into his car and put on their seatbelts. "Now, Castle, please pay more attention to the road this time. Otherwise I'll have to give you a ticket."

"Can you really do that?" he asks, eyeing her for a moment.

"Would you like to find out?"

He thinks for a moment before deciding, "Not really. You know, I don't complain about your driving."

"Because I follow traffic laws and don't put us in danger. Besides, you complain enough about my car to make up for it."

**A/N: Sorry, updating kind of slipped my mind with the start of the new quarter. And I still didn't get around to replying to reviews. I hope to do that this weekend and update again. But I feel like I have a lot to do and I want to write some more. There's not enough time. Anyway, thanks to everyone who is reading and especially to those who have reviewed.**


	5. Too Many Complaints

**Chapter 5: Too Many Complaints**

_My heart stops_

_When you look at me_

_Just one touch_

_Now baby I believe_

_This is real_

_So take a chance and_

_Don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

Kate is out of the car before he has turned it off. Castle stares at her through the window for a moment, not remembering anything he had done in the half hour drive that would have upset her. "Kate," he says softly as he joins her outside of the car.

"I am _never_ getting in a car with you again, Castle."

"What did I do?"

"You have to keep your eyes on the road. It's not stare at Kate and hope I don't hit anything time when you get behind the wheel."

"I'm… sorry," he says slowly, still slightly confused. Sure, he had almost hit someone a couple blocks back, but he stopped in plenty of time.

"Now you know why I never let you drive."

"Kate -"

"I don't know how you and Alexis are still alive with your driving skills."

"I hardly ever drive. I have a chauffeur whenever I need him."

"Then why didn't you have him drive us all around the city? I'd feel a lot safer that way."

"I… thought it'd be more… personal this way. I didn't think you'd like all of the… attention."

She sighs, "Thank you, Castle. That's… sweet. But I value my life more."

He holds his hand out to her with the keys. "Then you can drive after the movie."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Kate accepts the car keys from him and pockets them, "So did you have a movie in mind when you asked me to come with you?"

"Nope."

"Any idea what's playing?"

"There's one about aliens," he grins at her.

"No. I am not indulging your fantasies, Castle. There are no such things as aliens."

"You're no fun," he pouts.

"Then why did you want to spend the day with me?" she counters with a smirk.

"Because."

"That's not an answer."

"You use it all the time with me."

"Because you're annoying."

"If I'm so annoying, why did you say yes when I asked you to spend the day with me?"

"I had nothing better to do."

"I find that hard to believe. I mean, you only get two days off a month, Beckett."

She glares at him for a moment before turning and heading to the doors of the movie theater, "So what are we going to go see?"

He jogs to catch up to her, "You choose."

Inside the doors she stops to study the posters hanging up for each of the movies playing at the theater, trying to decide which one looked the most interesting. She can feel Castle's body right behind her, so close that there could be no more than an inch between them. "Castle?"

"Yes?" he says expectantly.

"You ever heard of a little thing called personal space?"

He steps to her side, their shoulders now brushing, which is only marginally better than having her back pressed against him. "Did you decide yet?"

She turns her head to glare at him and spots the poster for the perfect movie. Her glare turns into a mischievous smile, "Yes."

"And which one is it? Please tell me the one with aliens."

Kate points to the romance movie poster, evil grin still on her face, "I think that one looks good."

Rick turns to see what she is pointing at, and a look of horror crosses his face. "Beckett… please, anything but that."

"Nope. You said I got to pick. And staring at Gerard Butler for two hours seems like a good way to spend the afternoon."

"You like him?" he asks skeptically. She doesn't say anything. "He's really not that handsome."

She shrugs, "All a matter of opinion, Castle."

"He's way too old for you."

"He's only like three years older than you. And it's not like I'm thinking about dating him. He's famous; he can get any woman he wants. I'm sure he wouldn't want an NYPD detective."

"How do you know how old I am?"

"I'm a detective."

"But I don't know how old you are. I don't even know when your birthday is."

"Because you'll just make a big deal about it."

"It is a big deal."

"Castle, can we just get tickets and go into the theater?"

Sighing, he makes his way up to the register and buys their tickets. Then they go inside. His eyes widen at the concession stand. "I'm going to get popcorn."

"We just ate."

"So?"

"You can't possibly be hungry. And it's so expensive."

"I make millions of dollars. Popcorn isn't a big deal. Plus, it's tradition. And I need something to comfort me during this movie."

Kate rolls her eyes at him and waits until he is done with his purchase. When he wanders back over to her, he is carrying a large bucket of popcorn and two enormous drinks. She raises her eyebrows.

"I got you a Coke."

"You're going to have to pee in the middle of the movie."

"So? I think I can live with missing five minutes of the movie."

"I'm never going to drink all of this."

"We could've shared, but I didn't think you'd like the idea of using one straw."

"You're going to be up all night with all the caffeine you've had today."

"So? Maybe I'll get some writing done."

"If you needed to write, why'd you ask me to spend the day with you?"

"Procrastination is wonderful. Besides, I don't think you should be talking about my caffeine intake when you drink like ten cups of coffee a day."

They make their way into the theater, which is empty except for them, and sit down in the middle of the second to last row. She takes a handful of popcorn from the bucket in his lap.

He stares at her, "I thought you weren't hungry?" She ignores him. "I never thought you'd be one for sappy romance stories, Beckett."

"Yeah, well, at least someone gets a happy ending."

Castle wants to say something to comfort her but he can't think of anything. Instead he just stares at her until the lights dim and the previews come on.

**A/N: So there are apparently eight more chapters to this. I kind of forgot it was that long. Maybe I'll read through it because I don't really remember this story at all. I should have posted it sooner. Anyway, please keep reviewing and I'll keep posting.**


	6. Us

**Chapter 6: Us**

_We drove to Cali_

_And got drunk on the beach_

_Got a motel and_

_Built a fort out of sheets_

_I finally found you_

_My missing puzzle piece_

_I'm complete_

Kate reaches over for another handful of popcorn, which she eats with her eyes still glued to the screen.

Castle is trying to at least half pay attention to the movie in case she asked him about it, but he finds it very distracting to watch the movie; she is just so much more interesting to him. Every few moments he glances at her, hoping she is too busy watching the movie to notice.

About half way through, he concludes he really has no idea what is going on; he had spent too much time looking at her instead of watching the movie. But this type of movie just really wasn't his thing. He preferred the real thing.

Without really thinking about it, he reaches out and puts his arms around her shoulders. He can feel her body tense up at his touch, but she doesn't look over at him and doesn't pull her gun out to shoot him. A few minutes later he feels her relax again and lean slightly into his body.

"Castle," she whispers, looking over at him.

He is staring intently at her and has been doing so ever since she relaxed into his embrace, "Yes, Kate?"

"Watch the movie, not me."

"But you're so much more interesting," he whines.

"You're the one who wanted to go see a movie."

"You're the one who chose this one."

"And I was trying to watch it. You're just very annoying."

"I try," he smiles.

"I'll make you a deal."

"Does it involve making out in the dark movie theater?"

"No."

He pouts. "Does it involve leaving the movie theater?"

"No."

"I don't think I'm going to like this deal."

"Oh, you will," she smiles mischievously.

"What is it?" he asks cautiously, somewhat afraid of her now and regretting having put his arm around her.

"Are you fond of that arm?"

"…Yes," he says slowly, trying to decide if he should pull it away from her.

"Stop staring at me and I'll let you keep it there."

Castle immediately turns his attention back to the screen, not wanting to see what she would do if he didn't stop staring at her.

She watches him for a moment before turning back to the movie herself. Gerard Butler is kissing some woman that his character had been in love with.

Castle glances at her before leaning in to whisper, "I would totally be willing to do that. You know… if you wanted to role play or something. I could totally pass as Gerard. And you are way prettier than that woman is."

"I told you I wasn't indulging your fantasies, Castle."

"That was about aliens."

"So? I'm still not going to. Besides, you seem to have an active enough imagination as it is, Castle."

"Those scenes you're referring to would be so much better if they came from experience."

She glares at him, "I think you've had plenty of experience in that department."

"Not with you," he counters.

"And it's going to stay that way."

Castle pouts again. "Really, Kate, why are you so against us?"

"There isn't an us, Castle."

"See?"

"I'm not going to allow myself become a notch on someone's bedpost, Castle."

"You wouldn't be a notch, Kate. It'd be more like… cutting the bedpost in half."

She eyes him for a moment, "I did not get that comparison at all, and I don't think I want to."

"I was trying to say that you'd be more than just a notch, Kate. You're different from all those other women."

"Is that what you told all of them too?"

"No. Because it wasn't true. Kate, I'm not exactly proud of that part of my past, but I've changed since then. Since I met you."

The detective turns back to the screen, hoping to bury herself in the movie again and forget about him. The credits are already rolling though, so she is forced to face him again. "Why are we talking about this?"

"Because… I like you, Kate."

"Castle," she warns, very aware of the line that they were currently standing on the edge of. And she did not want to cross that line yet. "We need to leave."

With a sigh, he follows her out of the theater. He notices her pull the car keys out of her pocket and realizes that he is about to lose his chance. Before she can get too close to the car, he grabs the keys out of her hand.

"Castle," she yells, reaching for them.

"No," he holds them out of her reach.

"You told me I could drive."

"I changed my mind."

"You are such a wimp, Castle."

"No. If you drive, I know that we'll end up back at your apartment and you'll shut me out again. So you're not driving."

"Fine. Do whatever you want. Go wherever it is that you want to. Either way I'm not talking."

He stares at her over the roof of the car, refusing to open the door. She stares back. "Why are you so afraid of being happy, Kate?" he finally asks her softly.

"I'm not. And who are you to say that I'd be happy with you? That's a little arrogant, Castle."

"I know what happened when I left you last summer, Kate. I know that you missed me; sure, you've never admitted it and probably never will, but everyone knew."

Beckett is glaring at him furiously. "Who – How?"

"Ryan and Esposito care about you, Kate. They… threatened me when I came back. Said they'd hunt me down and kill me if I ever hurt you like that again."

"I'm going to -" she begins, looking away and shaking her head.

He cuts her off, "Don't, Kate. I wasn't supposed to tell you about that. And they were only trying to protect you."

"Okay, Castle. Let's get this over with. Start talking."

"Not here."

She raises an eyebrow, "Your hopes are a little… high, Castle."

"We're going to the park. So, no, my hopes aren't as high as you think, Detective," he says, unlocking the car so that they could get in.

"The park?"

"Yes. To get ice cream. And walk around. And talk."

She rolls her eyes, "Whatever."

**A/N: Sorry for failing to reply to reviews again so thanks to all of those people. I have to go do homework now so that I don't fail my anatomy quiz Friday. Thanks for reading. More Friday maybe.**


	7. Convincing Kate

**Chapter 7: Convincing Kate**

_Let's go all the way tonight_

_No regrets, just love_

_We can dance, until we die_

_You and I will be young forever_

"What would you like?" Rick asks her as they enter the ice cream shop right outside of the park.

"I'm really not that hungry."

"Come on, Kate. It's really good."

"I don't care, Castle. Just get me something."

He comes back a few minutes later with a triple chocolate cone for himself and a butterscotch sundae for her, knowing that she wasn't much of a fan of chocolate ice cream. They make their way into the park, and he desperately wants to put his arm around her, but he decides she might hurt him if he tries it again.

"Would you like to start?"

"Start what?" he looks over at her.

"This conversation. Why we're here."

"Oh… did you want to start or would you rather I got first?" he continues to eat his ice cream, getting some on his nose.

She smiles, making him wonder what is wrong with her. She had been furious not too long before and now she is smiling at him. Kate stops, and he follows suit, turning to face her. "You have ice cream on your nose," she reaches out and wipes it away with her napkin.

"Oh… thanks."

"I do like you, Castle. A lot. But this… this is going to change us. And I don't want that to happen yet."

"Exactly how will things change?"

"Working together is going to be a problem. I don't want this to interfere with my work, Castle."

"It won't," he cuts in. "I'll be careful. We'll keep our relationship out of the precinct."

"You really expect a room full of detectives to not notice that things have changed between us, even if you manage to keep your hands to yourself?" He doesn't have a response to this. "And what if something happens to you while you're shadowing me? I honestly don't know that I could remain professional about the situation."

"I think that might be a problem now. When Tyson had me tied up, you came in without backup. Esposito and the others were still a good distance away. You're already too emotionally involved with me."

"And saying that is supposed to be making me give in?" she looks over at him as they walk along.

"Yes. I'm just saying that it wouldn't really change things because you already care about me. And I care about you; I don't even what to think about you getting hurt on the job."

"What happens if things don't work out for us?"

"I think they will."

"And what if they don't?"

"Then… I guess we're done."

"Things are going to be bad, Castle. For both of us. I really don't want to go through that pain."

He studies her face, "Neither do I. So we're going to do our best to make things work."

"It's not that simple, Castle."

"It could be."

She shakes her head slowly, "It can't be with us."

"All we have to do is talk, Kate. And we're already pretty good at that. Maybe not about our pasts, but about what's going on now, we talk about. Except we avoided things that would change our relationship. But now we're good. And I trust that you won't cheat on me. You trust me because -"

"Giving you my gun doesn't mean I trust you."

"Yes, it does. You trust me to have your back."

"Yes… but I don't trust you with my heart."

"Kate…" Rick stops in the middle of the pathway to look at her. "Why not?"

"Do you even know how many women you've been in bed with?"

"…No."

"How many of them were one night stands?"

"Not very many. We normally had more than one night together."

"You still didn't date them first. Or any of the usual stuff."

"Look, Kate, I'm a guy. And they were pretty and willing to go to bed with me. And after being rejected by Meredith and Gina and Kyra, I needed someone. All of them knew that what was happening was meaningless."

"How do I know they didn't give you AIDS or something?"

"They weren't prostitutes, Kate."

"You were… using them and not paying them. If they weren't in it for the money, they just wanted to get famous."

"Probably. And I regret what I did, but I can't change what's happened in the past. Ellie Monroe was the only woman I was with like that since we met."

"Why her?"

He shrugs, "I had just saved your life twice, and you still didn't seem interested so I tried to move on."

Beckett sits down on one of the benches, "How do I know that you're not going to leave me after you get your one night together?"

"Do you honestly think I would follow you around for over two years just to get one night together?" he sits down beside her.

"Then a month together. Or two or however long. Eventually you'll get bored, Castle."

"I could never get tired of you, Kate."

"Like I'm going to believe that."

"You're too stubborn, Kate," he sighs. "What can I do to make you see that I'm not going to leave you? I come in almost every day to help you with your cases, and I even come in when you're just doing paperwork so that I can be with you. You've told me about your mother, and we are still trying to bring her justice; it doesn't scare me away from you but makes me care about you even more. We've saved each others' lives numerous times, and we've had fun working together. Please, Kate. Just believe that things are going to work out for us."

"But you did leave," she whispers.

His face falls as he realizes this and how much pain it had caused her. "I'm so sorry about that, Kate. I didn't want to leave you, but I thought it'd be best so that you could be happy with Demming. And I thought it would help me get some writing done. But writing Nikki Heat just made me miss you more."

"I missed you too." This is nowhere near as big as what he had admitted to her, but this small admission of her feelings gives him some hope.

**A/N: Sorry for not updating yesterday. I still have so much to do. Hopefully Monday I can post again. Thanks.**


	8. Partners

**Chapter 8: Partners**

_You make me feel_

_Like I'm livin' a_

_Teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on_

_I can't sleep_

_Let's run away and_

_Don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

Castle takes her empty bowl from her and stands to throw it away, expecting her to be following him. When he turns back around, she is still sitting on the bench. "You okay?" he asks quietly, not wanting to anger her. After their conversation, she probably is not okay at all.

"I want you to quit shadowing me," Kate says so quietly that he barely hears it.

"What?"

"If we start dating, I want you to quit following me around."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I don't want anything to happen to you either, but I know you'd never give up your job."

"Following me around isn't your job, Castle. You write stories. You entertain people. And you can't do that if you're dead."

"Kate -"

"If something were to happen to you, I could never forgive myself. And Alexis and Martha… what would they think of me if I let something happen to you?"

"Kate, it wouldn't be your fault. I chose to shadow you, knowing how dangerous it was. And I often don't listen to you, which probably puts me in even more danger. It'd be my fault if I got hurt."

"You can say that all you want, but it wouldn't make me feel less guilty if something were to happen to you," she looks up at him for the first time since she had made her request.

His blue eyes stare into her green ones, "Are you sure this is what you really want, Kate?"

Instead of answering, she poses her own question, "Why are you following me around, Castle?"

"Research."

"For over two years?"

He sighs, "Because I like spending time with you."

"And if we do start to date, you'll still get to spend time with me. You have no reason to be at the precinct."

"What if you need help on your cases?"

"I was fine before you came along. And if I need help, I'll just explain the case to you. Besides, your wild theories aren't exactly helpful," she smirks.

"Hey," he frowns, wounded. "That is not nice."

"Who said I was nice?"

"Hm… you're always teasing me so I guess you're not nice after all. In fact, I don't even know why I like you." She smacks his arm, and he turns serious again, "So what's going to happen to you if I quit following you?"

"What do you mean? Things will just go back to the way they were before you showed up."

"Who's going to have your back?"

"Ryan and Esposito can handle it."

"As I recall, Kate, we often go off by ourselves during an investigation. Without me around, you'll be alone. Unless you're going to go with Ryan and Esposito all the time, which wouldn't be as efficient so I don't think it will happen. And if you're alone, something will happen to you. So… you need a new partner if you're really going to make me quit."

"Castle -"

"No, Kate. You have three options: get a new partner, stick with Ryan and Esposito at all times, or let me stay. I will talk to Montgomery about this."

Beckett glares at him, "You are so evil."

"I know. So what's it going to be?"

"Every time I go into a dangerous situation, Ryan and Esposito are there. I don't need a new partner."

"No. I'm pretty sure we've been in danger when Ryan and Esposito weren't around. So… you're going to pick one."

She sighs, "If I tell you to stay in the car, Castle, you will stay in the car. Got it?"

"Of course."

"I don't think you do, Castle. You haven't listened to me yet. And every time you get out of that car, you put more than yourself in danger. Your stupidity could cause Ryan and Esposito their lives."

"Or you," Rick says quietly. "If something happened to you because of me…"

"I guess you see now how much danger you put us all in."

He nods, "I'll stay in the car. As long as Ryan or Esposito or some other detectives are there with you."

"Good."

"So you're really letting me continue to follow you?"

"Yes," she looks at him questioningly. "I thought that's what you wanted."

"It is. I just didn't think you'd go for it."

"Yeah, well… I like having you around. Just don't ever tell anyone I said that."

"You're secret is safe with me. See… I knew you'd admit that I was helpful someday."

"Just because I like having you around doesn't mean you're helpful, Castle."

"You wouldn't like me if I wasn't helpful," he counters.

"Maybe I like you because you help keep my job light."

"So I am helpful… just not in the way I hoped."

"And you're disappointed about that?"

"No, I'm glad to of assistance in any way I can," he smiles at her.

She rolls her eyes at him, "If you're going to follow me, I expect you to remain professional at work. I don't want anyone to know about this yet."

"Okay. My hands won't wander."

"How can I be sure?"

"You could always put your handcuffs on me." She doesn't respond to this. "Kate, I don't want to mess this up. I will try my best to follow your orders."

"Okay," she nods, "I'm going to hold you to that."

"So… does this mean you're going to… give us a try?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Castle," she laughs, "you're supposed to be convincing me to do this, not talk me out of it."

"I just don't want to push you into something you don't want."

"I do want this. I'm just… afraid."

"Don't be," Castle takes her hand in his. "I have no intention of hurting you."

She pulls her hand out from under his, which makes him think that he is pushing her too far. However, she flips her hand over and offers it to him with a smile, intertwining their fingers. "I trust that you want to see Alexis graduate and go to college and get married and have kids and all that. And since Ryan and Esposito already beat you about leaving, I'm sure they wouldn't hesitate to kill you if you did something to hurt me."

"No, I want to stay on their good side," he assures her, standing and pulling her up too. "Come on. I should get you home."

**A/N: So I got quite a bit done this weekend. And now I'm avoiding studying for my religion test tomorrow. I will try to post again Tuesday sometime unless I finally come to the realization that I'm going to fail my anatomy lab quiz the next day and decide to actually attempt to change that. Hopefully I do good in the lecture part of the class because I'm not sure that my lab grade is going to be so high. Anyway, thanks for reading. Five chapters to go.**


	9. First Kiss

**Chapter 9: First Kiss**

_My heart stops_

_When you look at me_

_Just one touch_

_Now baby I believe_

_This is real_

_So take a chance and_

_Don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

Castle stands aside as she unlocks her apartment. She holds the door open for him, and he follows her in. "Do you want to stay for a bit?" she asks, removing her coat.

"You don't have anything to do?"

"Not much. It can wait a little longer."

"Okay. But only for half an hour. I'm meeting Alexis, Ashley, and Mother for dinner."

"You're hungry for dinner?"

"Not really, but Alexis asked me a couple days ago if we could go out."

"You didn't have to buy all this food today, Castle. I really didn't need it all. Then you could've enjoyed dinner with your family."

"It's not a big deal. Besides, I had to make up for all of those meals you've neglected to eat in the past couple days."

"I was working, Castle. We had a murderer to catch."

"And you also needed nutrients in order to keep searching for him."

"You bought me at least one meal everyday during this case, Castle. I was fine."

"You're going to try to live on one meal a day?"

"No… I had a bear claw everyday and coffee. So two meals."

"That's not a meal, Kate."

She rolls her eyes, "Whatever."

He takes her hand and drags her to the couch, sitting down right beside her, "You know, I thought you would make a good mother figure for Alexis, but if you're perfectly okay with skipping meals, I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Mother?" Kate looks at him warily.

He quickly realizes that this was probably not the best thing to say, "It's okay, Kate. You don't have to do anything really. She's practically grown up, and she's really easy to take care of. I just meant that it'd be nice for her to have a woman in her life to look up to and talk to since Mother's a bit too old and Meredith… isn't much of a mother."

She frowns, looking down at her hands, "I like your daughter and all, Castle, but won't it be… awkward for her? I mean… I'm not even twice as old as she is."

"Well… we're kind of getting to the point where I can't really tell her what to do so I don't think it will be too much of a problem," he assures her, taking her hands. "Kate… how old are you?"

"Thirty-one."

"There are really eight years between us?" he studies her. Upon realizing what he had said, he adds, "Not that you look older or anything… It's just weird."

"Weird? I'm sure you've been with women that are a lot younger than I am."

"But I didn't lo– feel the same way about them as I do about you."

"Really, Castle?"

He can't read her face so he's not quite sure what she meant by that, "Yes."

"You were going to say love."

"…Yes," he sees no point in lying to her.

"You really know that?"

"Yes. I've felt this way for a while. But I didn't want to say it because I didn't want to pressure you."

"Oh…" she says softly.

"I do love you, Kate," he smiles. When he sees her opening her mouth to respond, he puts a finger to her lips to keep her silent. "I don't want you to say it back. Not until you want to, until you're ready to."

"Thank you, Rick," she smiles back.

"So… when is your birthday, and why don't I know it already?"

"August seventeenth. I didn't want you to know."

"And I wasn't here for either of the two you've had since we met," he softly responds.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"But if I had known, I would have gotten you something. I'm going to owe you for three birthdays this year."

"You mean you won't be at the Hamptons this summer?"

"No… and if I do go, I'm dragging you with me."

"Unlike you, I can't just leave the precinct whenever I want," she says, and he is surprised that there is no bitterness in her voice. "Besides, I don't own a swimsuit."

"Then you can skinny dip," Castle smirks.

She glares at him, "Don't think so."

"Well, you still have a couple months to find one."

She squeezes his hands, "You should probably be going. You don't want to keep your family waiting."

"Come with me," he offers, suddenly not wanting to leave her.

"No. I'm still full, and I don't want to intrude."

"Please?"

"No. You just want to intimidate Ashley more by having a cop present."

"Maybe," he flashes her a mischievous smile. "But I want you there."

"Some other time, Castle."

"I'll hold you to that," he leans forward to kiss her cheek.

Kate doesn't let go of his hands when he tugs on them to stand. "You missed," she whispers.

"Missed what?"

"You missed," she repeats, looking up at him with a soft smile.

He leans in again, this time letting his lips meet hers. He wants to keep it gentle and light so that she doesn't feel pressured into anything, but he finds this hard to do when he feels her wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer. As it becomes more passionate, he softly pushes her back so that they are lying on the couch.

She is thoroughly enjoying their make-out session until she feels his warm hand on the bare skin of her stomach. Gently she pushes on his chest until his lips break from hers. Their eyes meet. "You're going to be late," she says softly.

He looks at his watch before quickly getting off of her. "Sure you don't want to go?" he asks, helping her stand.

"I'm fine."

"How about I take you out tomorrow after work?"

She bites her lip, "How about you cook?"

"I can do that," he smiles.

She lets go of his hand and heads to the kitchen. A few seconds later she returns with a key. "Here, I don't want you to come to the precinct tomorrow. You can come over here and cook in the evening."

"You'll be home by seven?" She nods. "Okay. I will see you tomorrow then," he leans in for a quick good bye kiss.

"Castle, wait," she says, grabbing his arm as he turns to go. He looks at her curiously. "You have lipstick," she uses her thumb to wipe it away.

"Thanks, Kate," he kisses her cheek to avoid getting more lipstick on himself. "See you tomorrow."

**A/N: So last night's episode... not the best, but still pretty good. Very interesting. I'm rewatching it now to avoid studying for anatomy lab quiz. Anyway, more Thursday hopefully.**


	10. Dinner Dates

**Chapter 10: Dinner Dates**

_I'm gonna get your heart racing_

_In my skin tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Let you put your hands on me_

_In my skin tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

Beckett is staring at the murder board when her cell phone rings. "Beckett," she answers, expecting it to be Ryan and Esposito with a lead for her.

It is Castle. "Hello, Detective," he says cheerfully.

Suddenly worried that she is late, she checks her watch. "It's just after six o'clock, Castle. What do you want?"

"Just making sure you'll still be home in hour for our date."

"Yes. You need me to get anything on my way home?"

"Nope, I'm good."

"You're not… nosing around my apartment, are you?"

"Never crossed my mind. But now that you mentioned it, this might be my only opportunity to do so," he grins.

"Don't you dare, or I'm kicking you out after dinner."

"You were planning to let me stay longer than that?"

"Maybe… if you're good."

"If I had known you were planning this, Detective, I would have worn my fancy boxers for you."

She laughs, "You have a fancy pair?"

"Yes. Don't you?"

"Guess you'll have to wait and see," Kate smiles to herself but quickly tries to make her face neutral when Ryan and Esposito walk in. They look at her curiously. "See you in a little bit," she tells him before hanging up. "You guys find anything?"

"Nope. Hot date tonight?" Esposito asks.

"Maybe. But it's not really your business."

"So why didn't Castle come in today?" Ryan studies her.

"I asked him not to."

"Are you fighting again? Do we need to threaten him?"

"No, it's fine, guys. I just needed a break from him so that I could get some work done."

"So he'll be back tomorrow to help us with this case?"

"Maybe. Depends on if he has plans."

"Wait a second," Esposito stares at her, trying to make her give in. "You told him not to come in today… and he listened to you? He's never listened to you before."

"Maybe he had something else he had to do today. Like writing. That is his job after all."

"Come on, Beckett. He puts off writing all the time so that he can follow you around."

"Well, maybe this time he actually has a deadline to meet."

"Or maybe he now has a reason to be afraid of you," Ryan smirks.

"Why would he suddenly be afraid of me?"

"Because if he doesn't listen to you, you could… refuse to get in bed with him."

"Really, guys? You think we're sleeping together?" Beckett looks at them skeptically.

"Why else would he listen to you after two years of doing whatever he pleased?"

She glares at them, "I'm not going to dignify that with an answer. So if you guys didn't find anything, I'm heading home for the night. See you in the morning."

"Going home already, Beckett?" Esposito teases. "Is he waiting for you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she grabs her jacket from the back of her chair. "Besides, what are you two complaining about? It's a Friday night, and I'm letting you go at a decent time. I thought you had girlfriends."

"We do," Esposito says quickly. "It's just… you never leave early."

"Maybe I needed a change. See you bright and early tomorrow."

"Early? I thought you were giving us a break?" Ryan yells after her.

"Nine o'clock sharp, boys. Or next Friday you'll be missing your dates."

Esposito waits until the elevator doors close behind her, "Something's wrong with her. She was too cheerful today."

"You think it's a guy?"

"What else would it be?"

"You really think it's Castle?" Ryan looks over at his partner.

"He didn't say anything Wednesday about being busy today. I think she told him not to come in. And since he listened to her, something's up with them."

"You think she spent her day off with Castle and they admitted that they like each other?"

"You have a better idea?" Esposito counters.

"Maybe she met a guy while she was running errands yesterday."

"You ever seen Beckett that happy over just any guy?"

The younger detective thinks for a moment, "Nope. Only Castle and cases can make her that happy or that pissed."

"Tomorrow when Castle comes back we'll confront him. Surely we can get him to crack."

"I don't know, man. I'm sure she's threatened him about telling anyone."

"He won't hold out on us. Plus we've been watching Beckett interrogate suspects for years; we know how to get answers."

**CB**

Beckett unlocks the door to her apartment and walks in. She assumes Castle is in the kitchen because of the delicious smell of their meal. She freezes in the doorway to the kitchen, slightly shocked.

Castle turns around to set two plates on the table and sees her. "Kate, I didn't hear you come in," he smiles at her, but it slowly fades when he sees her face. "Is this… too much?"

"No," she says quickly, coming over to him. "It's perfect. I just… didn't picture you as such a romantic."

"Rook writes romance novels."

"But you write mystery novels," she kisses his cheek.

"With hot sex scenes," he grins, leaning in to capture her lips. "Dinner is almost ready. Alexis helped me pick out a recipe for tonight."

"It's smells delicious. But… you told her about us?"

"Not exactly. She kind of guessed. I was apparently smiling all throughout dinner. And you didn't quite get all of the lipstick. And she knew I was spending the day with you yesterday."

"Oh…"

"Don't worry. She approves. She really likes you, Kate."

"She's a great kid, Castle. You did well raising her."

"Thank you."

"Maybe the three of us could do something together sometime."

"Now that you mention it… she and Ashley were going to hang out at the loft tomorrow night to watch a movie or play games or something. You could come over and join us. Then we could play laser tag."

"I don't know, Castle. I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be. We can't play laser tag without you; I need you on my team."

"You just want me to shoot Ashley."

"Do not. He's actually a pretty nice boy. And you promised that you'd join us sometime."

"Fine, Castle, as long as we get somewhere on this case tomorrow."

"I'll help you, and we'll have it solved in no time."

"You finish dinner; I'm going to go change."

"Change? You look beautiful already," he tucks a strand of hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail behind her ear.

"Thank you, Castle, but I want to get out of my work clothes."

"Okay. But you don't have to change into anything fancy for me. You always look wonderful."

"Wasn't planning on it," she grins, leaning in for one more kiss before heading to her bedroom. "And no peeking."

**A/N: So I decided to post this morning before going off to class. Hopefully you like it. Three chapters to go. More Saturday maybe.**


	11. Too Much

**Chapter 11: Too Much**

_You make me feel_

_Like I'm livin' a_

_Teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on_

_I can't sleep_

_Let's run away and_

_Don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

Kate comes into the kitchen in jeans and the green sweater she had worn to work. "I see you decided not to change your shirt," Castle comments, pulling a chair out for her. "That's okay. It's one of my favorites."

"So I've noticed."

"I wore my blue shirt for you."

"You own lots of blue shirts, Castle. Sometimes I wonder if you have any other color in that very large wardrobe of yours."

"Everyone says blue brings out my eyes."

"It does," she smiles lightly.

"And you took your hair down."

"You seem to like it better that way. I was just lazy this morning and didn't feel like straightening it so it went up."

"You? Lazy?" he looks at her skeptically as she sits in the seat he has pulled out for her. "It's okay, Kate. I like it better curly," he whispers in her ear before turning away from her.

"Are you coming in tomorrow?" she asks.

"I was planning on it."

"The boys think something is going on between us."

"Really?" he sets a plate in front of her.

"Yes."

"Would you rather I didn't come in?"

"No, it'll just give them more."

"Kate?"

"Yes, Castle?"

"You have to keep them away from me. If they get me alone, I'll never be able to withstand their questions. They'll know about everything."

"You can't lie to them?" she studies him as he sits down across from her.

"No, they're just too good at interrogating people. And they'll threaten me. So you have to keep me beside you all day."

"Are you saying that you can't lie to me either?"

"…Maybe. You know, sometimes I really hate the fact that you're a cop."

"If I wasn't, we wouldn't have met. Or you wouldn't be writing mystery books."

"I wouldn't care what I'm writing about as long as I'm still following you around."

She rolls her eyes, "I think there are some pretty gross jobs out there that you wouldn't want to write about, even if you were following me around while I did them."

"I guess you have a point. So you want to fill me in on this case that you need my help with?"

They eat while she fills him in. Castle shares some outrageously unlikely theories to entertain her. Then he begins to tell her some of the ideas he had for murders in his books. "Castle, don't they always say truth is stranger than fiction? I don't think your readers would believe some of those tales."

He sighs, "Sometimes I hate how nice and neat everything has to end up in the books. Obviously it doesn't happen like that in real life."

"So don't answer all the questions," she says as if it were that simple.

"I tried to do that once. Gina sent it back to me and told me to rewrite it."

"Then art really doesn't imitate life after all."

"Actually I was rather hoping that it does. Or more so that life imitates art. I was hoping you'd let me in, Kate. Like Nikki is doing with Rook."

She looks away from him, "Castle…"

"No, not like that. I want you to be ready for that so I'll wait as long as you need. I'd wait until marriage for you, Kate."

"That won't be necessary, Castle. I'm not that old-fashioned."

He finds himself staring at her, suddenly wanting to kiss her again. Not that he thought that she would let him in that far tonight, even with her admission. To busy himself, he stands and takes their plates to the sink. "So… what do you want to do the rest of the evening? I brought a couple movies if you want to watch one. Or we could just talk some more."

She too stands and wanders over to the counter to look at the stack of movies he had brought. "Why do they all have Gerard Butler in them?" she asks, looking at him curiously.

"I thought you'd want to stare at him some more."

"And why would I want to stare at him when I have you?"

Castle pauses in rinsing the dishes but does not turn to face her. "I thought you liked him."

"The best movie you have here is _Phantom of the Opera_, and it's not because he's hot. He's got his face covered most of the movie. But he is a very good singer."

"Would you like me better if I could sing?"

Kate walks up behind him and wraps her arms around his waist. "Nope," she whispers. "I already like you too much for my own good."

"Too much?" he asks, turning around in her embrace.

"Yes."

"I don't think that's possible," he leans in to kiss her. She doesn't reply, content to continue kissing him. After a lengthy and rather passionate kiss, he pulls back, resting their foreheads together. "Kate, we don't have to do anything tonight."

"You can't just keep kissing me like that and expect to stop," she whispers. "I want to keep moving forward, Castle."

"As long as you promise not to hate me for this in the morning."

"I may be angry, and I may want to shoot you, but surely I won't hate you," she flashes him a mischievous grin before pressing her lips against his again.

"Because wanting to kill me doesn't mean you hate me," he mumbles in between kisses.

"Definitely not," she whispers back. "If I hated you, I wouldn't let you near me again."

"You cruel woman," he flips them around so she is the one pressed against the counter. He lets his hands sneak under her sweater to rub circles on her skin. "Wait," the writer suddenly pulls back from her, "your gun?"

"I put it away already. I didn't think I'd have to worry about you doing anything."

"It's not under your pillow or anything because I really don't fancy getting shot in the middle of the night accidentally?"

"It's in the nightstand."

"Okay. But I was kind of looking forward to finding where you hide it on a date," he says, trailing down her neck with his lips.

"Patience, Castle."

"I really don't want to be patient right now, Kate, so we'd better take this somewhere else," he easily lifts her up and takes her to the bedroom.

**A/N: So... Hope you enjoyed it. Two chapters to go. I've got a lot of the next story written, but school started again and I kind of stopped writing. Maybe I'll get back to that now since I'm kind of bored. Anyway, please review.**


	12. Busted

**Chapter 12: Busted**

_My heart stops_

_When you look at me_

_Just one touch_

_Now baby I believe_

_This is real_

_So take a chance and_

_Don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back_

When Kate's alarm goes off the next morning, she awakens to an empty bed. Frowning, she sits up, holding the sheets to her body. His shirt and pants are still on the floor so she assumes he has not actually left her apartment, but why he isn't in bed with her she doesn't know. She gets out of bed and grabs his shirt and her panties.

"What are you doing?" she asks, finding him in the kitchen in only his boxers.

"Making you breakfast."

"Oh…"

"I just got up a couple minutes before you did so it will be a little while. Why don't you get ready for work?" he smiles lightly at her.

She returns it, "I was just… worried when you weren't there."

"I thought I'd surprise you, but you get up so early that it didn't quite work out."

"That's sweet of you," she kisses his cheek as he starts the coffee maker. "Twenty minutes?"

"Plenty of time," Castle turns his head for her to kiss him on the lips. "Pancakes or bacon and eggs?"

"You choose."

"I'll make pancakes tomorrow for you and Alexis."

"Who said I was staying tonight?"

"Me."

"Castle, your daughter will be there."

"So? Nothing has to happen. Can't we just cuddle?"

"You really think you can keep your hands to yourself?"

"…If I really wanted to."

"And you won't want to."

"Probably not," he grins back. "Now go shower, or we'll end up in there together. I wouldn't mind that, but I'm sure you would."

Rolling her eyes, she heads back to the bedroom to shower. He comes in twenty minutes later as she is pulling her shirt on. "Breakfast is getting cold," Castle kisses her.

"Five minutes. I have to do something with my hair and put on makeup and brush my teeth."

"That can wait until you're done eating," he grabs her wrist and drags her to the kitchen.

They sit down at the table, and she looks at him for a long moment before turning to her food. "Do you have clothes to put on? Or are you going to go home after you shower and change before coming to the precinct?"

"I brought a bag. Not that I was expecting anything to happen between us last night but I thought that it would be better to be prepared."

She nods, "Hopefully you brought your own soap. The guys will definitely know something's up if you come in smelling like cherries."

"Yes, I did. And I put your spare key on the counter; I wasn't sure where you got it from."

"Oh… you can keep it… if you want."

"Really?"

"Yeah… we'll probably end up here more because you have a family at your place."

"I'll take it… if you take a key to the loft."

"Castle -"

"I want you to be able to come over whenever you want. Even in the middle of the night when you need a break from your case."

"Nothing is going to happen."

"I know. I just like having you close." She doesn't respond. "Are you okay, Kate?"

"I'm fine."

"Last night wasn't too much too soon? Because you don't strike me as the type of woman to get in bed on the first date."

"I'm not. But things are so different with you, Castle. We've had two years of getting to know each other. And Thursday. So it really was our second date."

"I thought that wasn't a date?" he teases.

"That was before you told me how you felt."

"So you're sure last night was okay?"

"It was wonderful, Castle. It's just not happening again tonight. I will stay so you can cuddle if you keep your hands to yourself while we're at work."

He smiles, "I don't know if that's possible, Kate. I feel like a teenager again with my first crush."

"Except I'm far from the first girl you've ever been in love with."

"Actually, you might not be. I've never felt this way about any of the women I've been with. Yes, sleeping together was good, but being in bed with you was amazing."

She stares at him for a long moment, "Lanie kept saying you'd be good in bed, but I think last night was so good because we actually have strong feelings for one another. I hate to admit this right now, Castle, but I think you might be my one."

"You're serious?" he asks, and she nods. "How… how can you know after only two days together?"

"Because you can be totally annoying and childish, but I still love you. Whenever you're not near me, I miss you like crazy."

"Love?"

"Yes, Castle. I love you. And don't act so surprised."

"I just… don't want to ruin things for you if we don't work out. I don't want you to miss the opportunity to be happy, even if it isn't with me."

"I'm almost positive it is you, Castle."

He grins, "You admit that and expect me to keep my hands off of you all day and all night?"

Kate grins back, "I guess this is a real test for you."

"I might have to sneak you away for a lunch break just so I can misbehave for a little while."

She shakes her head, "I won't allow that."

They put their dishes in the sink and head back to her bedroom, him to shower and her to finish getting ready. When he gets out of the shower, she is straightening her hair. He frowns at her. "What?" she asks, looking at his reflection in the mirror.

"I liked it curly."

"Too bad."

"So I figured we'd drive separately to the precinct."

"Of course."

"And I thought I'd stop for coffee because I always bring you coffee."

"Yes."

"Then we'll still appear normal. I just have to keep my hands to myself, and you have to tease me every chance you get."

"They'll never know," she agrees.

**CB**

"So who were you with last night?" Lanie, sitting in the detective's desk, asks as she walks into the homicide department.

"No one."

"Come on, girl. You look happy. Too happy for it not to be a guy. So who was it? Writer-boy?"

"He's writer-man, Lanie, and no, it wasn't him."

"Really? You just defended him. So would you like to revise that statement?"

"Nope."

Castle walks over to her desk, "Good morning, Dr. Parish."

"You have some lipstick, Castle," Lanie grins, gesturing to his lips. "And if I'm not mistaken, Kate, that's the same shade you're wearing today. Busted." The medical examiner walks away, stopping to collect her money from Ryan and Esposito before heading down to the morgue.

Kate glares at all three of her coworkers.

**A/N: Kind of forgot to update. Sorry. Last chapter up Thursday as long as I'm not too busy studying for all my quizzes on Friday. Thanks.**


	13. In Love

**Chapter 13: In Love**

_I'm gonna get your heart racing_

_In my skin tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Let you put your hands on me_

_In my skin tight jeans_

_Be your teenage dream tonight_

"Detective Beckett," Alexis smiles as she opens the door and hugs the detective. "I'm so happy for you and Dad."

Castle walks over to them, smiling at the surprised look on his partner's face. "Alexis?"

"Yes, Dad?" she lets go of the detective to look at him.

"Kate's not used to the whole hugging thing so you're going to have to ease her into it, not attack her every time she comes over."

"Sorry, Detective," the teenager blushes.

"It's fine, Alexis. And call me Kate."

"Let me introduce you to Ashley," Alexis smiles at her. Both adults follow her into the living room. "Ashley, this is Kate, my dad's partner and girlfriend."

"Nice to meet you," he smiles holding out his hand. She takes it. "You're a detective?" he looks somewhat uncertainly at her hip where her gun is holstered.

"Yes, but don't believe all of Castle's threats about having me shoot you," Kate smiles reassuringly.

"So you're the one he's writing the books about?" She nods. "I've only read the Derrick Storm books."

"That's okay. I like him better than Nikki," she says.

Castle looks hurt, "What?"

"Maybe I would like them more if they weren't based on me."

"Is this about the name again? Because we already discussed this. And I didn't even make her a stripper."

"So? You still made her embarrassing to me."

Alexis takes her boyfriend's hand and leads him away without the other two noticing.

"Do you want me to stop writing her?"

"I don't really care, Castle. It's not like it can get any worse."

"Actually it could… when everyone finds out we're together."

She glares at him, "Castle."

"I'll quit writing them. Sure, the fans will be disappointed with the ending. And I'll be disappointed because I can't follow you anymore. And Gina and Paula will be very upset. But if it's what you want, Kate…"

"Fine, Castle. Do whatever you want. You always do."

"I think you're going to like this next one. Speaking of which, I have -"

Alexis and Ashley come back, each adorned in a laser tag vest and carrying a second one. "If you two are done arguing, maybe we can play."

Castle takes a vest and puts it on, deciding the conversation they were having could wait until later. He looks over at Beckett; she is holding the vest, looking at it uncertainly. "I promise I won't take pictures to show the guys."

She looks over at him. "Do I really have to?"

"Yes."

"I think laser tag is just your excuse for being able to shoot Ashley."

"Would you rather I shoot you? Because sometimes I really want to."

"Did you really just say that, Castle?" she fixes her glare on him as she gradually gets closer.

"Yes. What, you can say you want to shoot me but I can't say that I want to shoot you?" She grabs his nose. "Ow. I'm sorry, Kate. Apples… apples."

"Uh… Kate?" Alexis says timidly. "If you want to get Dad back, we can be on a team, and Ashley and Dad can be on a team."

The detective lets go of the writer's nose, "I think I like that idea."

They go back to the guest bedroom to get the right size vests for the right teams before starting to play. Beckett hits Castle at least twenty times while he only gets her five. Exhausted, they all collapse on the couch. "Who wants ice cream?" Castle offers. The two men go to make the sundaes.

Alexis turns to Kate, "I haven't seen Dad this happy in a while. So… thanks."

"He just enjoys being a kid again. It's not me."

"Yes, it is. I've played laser tag with him; he hasn't been so happy playing laser tag since he first got it. And whenever something would happen between you two, he'd always come home so happy. Or upset when you fought."

"I… Alexis…"

"I know how he feels, Kate. I feel the same way with Ashley. Although we haven't really fought like you and Dad."

"I hope you never do."

"I'd like to think we won't, if only because we haven't had some of the painful experiences that you and Dad have."

"Alexis?"

"Yeah?"

"Is this… going to bother you? Me dating your dad?"

"Of course not. Why would it?"

"Because… I imagine it would be hard for you to… see me as a mother to you because there's really only fourteen years separating us."

"I have a mother, Kate. As terrible as she may be at being a mother, she still is my mother. I'm sure you understand. I'm not exactly sure how I'd describe you. You're kind of like a big sister to me… I can go to you for advice about stuff I can't with my parents. But it's kind of weird to think of it that way since you're with my dad…"

"I don't want to replace your mother, Alexis. I just want you to be comfortable with this situation."

"Dad doesn't let me meet his dates. Only Gina and you. But you seem real, like you actually care about us and not just the fame and money. And I like you. Maybe… we could do something together when you're free, get to know each other a little more because I really want this to work out for you two."

"I'd like that," Kate smiles at the teenager.

Castle and Ashley come back into the room. "Kate, can I steal you away?"

"Sure," she agrees, looking somewhat confused.

"No funny business," he looks at the two teenagers before leading her to his office.

"That applies to you too, Dad," Alexis calls after them.

Rick sets the bowl down before helping her remove her laser tag vest. Then he hands her a spoon and sits down on the couch. "I thought we could share, but I brought you your own spoon. I figured you'd be starving since you probably haven't eaten since I got you that sandwich this afternoon."

She studies the sundae, "Is all this chocolate really necessary?"

"Yes."

"Okay…" she sits down beside him. "So what'd you want to talk about?"

He gets a large amount of ice cream on his spoon and holds it out to her. "I have something for you."

"Really, Castle? You're going to feed me ice cream?"

"No, that's not what I have. If you take the spoon though, I could go get it out of my drawer."

The detective takes both the spoon and the bowl from him. He returns with a large stack of papers bound together. "What's that?"

"The manuscript for my next book. I want you to have it, to read it. Gina doesn't have any of it, but the first half is due next week. It's a little more personal than the other two, especially given recent events, so I want you to read it before I give it to her."

"Oh…" she takes it from him.

"I had it done before we even spent the day together so it's not really based on what happened with us, but I still want your approval."

"You're… asking?"

"Yes. Just promise me you won't stay up all night reading."

"Depends on how good it is."

"Well, I guess if you get too involved, I could always find a way to distract you," he leans in for a kiss.

She complies before turning to look at the dedication. There isn't one. She looks up at him questioningly.

"I always write that last. I need to know if I have to rewrite the whole thing before I do that part."

**CB**

Two days later Kate wanders into his office. He is busy typing. "I finished your book."

"And?"

"I liked the whole plot line and all those little twists you put in there for Nikki and Rook to catch in order to solve the case."

"But you hated the parts between Nikki and Rook?"

"Actually, I rather liked them. In fact, I think I have a new favorite character."

"You like Nikki now?"

"No, I like Rook," she wraps her arms around him from behind.

He smiles, turning his head to kiss her. "And I like Nikki."

"That may be, but I'm not going to role play that fantasy for you."

"While I do like Nikki Heat, I love you, Kate, so I am perfectly content with that."

"So what are you working on?"

"You don't want me to change anything in the book?"

"No. Except for a few typos you had."

"I was writing the dedication." Rick brings up the book on the computer and shows her what he has written: _To my extraordinary muse, who makes me feel like a teenager in love again_.

**A/N: I kind of forgot to update again. Sorry. But now the story is over. I've got another one started. It's going to be like 30 chapters and I've only got 23 of them written and I wil have probably no time the next to weeks to write with midterms but I may start posting it sometime later this week. Thanks for everyone who read this story.**


End file.
